Monumental Waste Continues

And it's everywhere, even in towns where there aren't the two proverbial nickels to rub together.

Take Spallumcheen, for example.
Sure, they have an industrial park but that's about it.


Their 5,000+ residents are predominantly farmers whose land is chiefly within the Agricultural Land Reserve, engaged full-time.
Hence, precious little into coffers.

Not long ago an elected official blurted out during a Regional District meeting that Spallumcheen Township "is flat broke", while the community is lauded as the oldest and largest municipality in the Southern Interior area of the province.

Yet even this community wastes money.

At issue is their "need" for a transportation plan, so bureaucrats say, identified in the township's community development plan.

So they've got a $50,000 budget for the project.

Eyebrows are sure to be raised when residents read that a Victoria firm is going to produce the transportation plan.
A Victoria firm whose employees likely have to check Google Maps to see where  Spallumcheen is even located.

What a lost opportunity!

The transportation plan would be a great project for a residents' committee!
You know...people who actually live there, people who travel its corridors when they take their produce or farm animals to market.   People who know where improvements could be made.  People who possess common sense.  Farmers!

Those residents could meet two or three times with a municipal roads supervisor, with a staff person to moderate the meetings. 

Presto!
A transportation plan that has buy-in from both residents and staff, that can be proudly presented to Mayor and Council.

And the coffee and submarine sandwiches for three lunches for 10 people would come in at $300.00, versus the $50,000. in Spallumcheen's budget.

"If you don't use it (the budget), you'll lose it."

from a supervisor, during my career. 

 So I guess coffee and subs are out.                   

Then there's the Regional District's offer to recognize with an award of $10,000 individuals, community groups, non-profit organizations, or schools whose Waste Reduction idea rises to the top of the pile.

Sure, in the scheme of things, it's not a lot of money, but it is money.

It's 10,000 bucks.

Whether it's being awarded by RDNO, or the Okanagan Basin Water Board, or the university...or gas tax funds, or just blown in on the wind, it's money that came from residents' wallets.  

Where was the RDNO--and the $10,000 to spend on a good idea--when residents cried foul at the new Multi-Material Recycling program (affectionately renamed Mini Material, as it accepted far fewer recyclables than the previous bluebag program)?  

Where was the RDNO--and the $10,000 to spend on a good idea--when seniors stated they could not safely carry the new rigid plastic containers down apartment stairs or icy stairs and sidewalks of residences?  

Oh yes...the RDNO was one of 18 regional districts in the province that would each receive one million dollars from the new, supposedly industry-sponsored program.

Many seniors simply stated that items would once again go back into garbage bags, to the detriment of Mother Earth.

"The regional district didn't issue a peep of protest to help seniors, and went off to bury their million...but not in the compost," Kia suggests.

One day there'll be a monument to the most wasteful level of government.

I can contribute two nickels.